


The Christmas Party

by bluebell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Drunken Kissing, First Kiss, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-29
Updated: 2013-04-29
Packaged: 2017-12-09 22:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/778625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebell/pseuds/bluebell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry never thought Ron might be gay -- until Ron brings a man to the Weasleys' Christmas party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Christmas Party

**Author's Note:**

  * For [entrenous88 (EntreNous)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EntreNous/gifts).



> This was written for a prompt given by entrenous88 [here](http://harryronholiday.livejournal.com/18946.html). Apologies for the unseasonal posting, if I wait till next christmas I'll forget this fic exists at all. :)
> 
> This contains brief infidelity, but it's not Harry or Ron cheating on the other.

Harry apparated some distance from the Weasley house and paused for a moment before going in. The windows shone invitingly, a golden glow cast onto the frozen ground and Harry could hear music and the occasional loud burst of laughter. There was no snow this year, but it was so cold that Harry could see his breath in clouds of white steam. He was normally looking forwards to celebrating with everyone but wasn't quite as eager tonight.

Ron was bringing a date.

Harry briefly considered leaving and saying urgent auror businesses called him away. But he knew if he did that, Ron would only follow him to see what had happened. Maybe he could think of some better excuse. Suddenly taken down with Dragon pox perhaps.

The back door opened and George appeared, a cigarette in his hand.

"Harry's here!" George bellowed over his shoulder.

Harry sighed. There went any idea he had of leaving and sending a creative excuse by owl.

* * * * *

Ron was late. Harry stood in the corner out of the way and sipped his butterbeer - not quite trusting himself with anything stronger tonight - and wondered how they had loved the sickeningly sweet stuff quite so much when they were kids.

The Christmas party this year seemed bigger than ever. There were decorations in every room, the place festooned with holly, tinsel and numerous bunches of mistletoe. Then there was the tree. It was set up in the living room and was so big that the top of it bent to the right as it touched the ceiling. As well as family, there were a few old order members, and Harry was sure some sort of expansion spell must have been cast on the house to fit everyone in.

Hermione was walking over and he roused himself from his thoughts enough to smile and return her hug.

"Hi, Harry. How are you?" Hermione said.

"I'm good. Enjoying the party?"

Hermione nodded. "It's good to be here for Christmas. Even if I do have to dodge people asking me when I'm going to get back together with Ron."

"I just got asked by his Aunt Muriel if I was "courting" yet," Harry said with a grimace. "So I can sympathize."

"Well I'm definitely avoiding her then," Hermione said, smiling into her mulled wine. "Last time I saw her she wanted to know why me and Ron hadn't set a date for the wedding. I don't want to know what she'll say now we've split up."

There was a moment of silence whilst Harry tried not to imagine Ron marrying someone whilst he had to stand by and watch and smile and congratulate them.

"Ron's late, isn't he? I wonder what's keeping him. He's bringing that girl he's seeing isn't he?" Harry said, finally unable to keep himself from speaking about the subject that was almost constantly on his mind.

Hermione frowned and took a drink of her wine. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Harry," she said. "You're the one who lives with him."  


* * * * *

Harry went out for some fresh air. He had to get this jealousy under control. His friends weren't stupid, sooner or later one of them were going to notice his preoccupation. What if Ron noticed?

Harry shivered and looked up at the stars. It was a clear night, didn't look as if there was much chance of any snow for Christmas.

He hadn't felt it this badly when Ron and Hermione had been together. One, because he loved Hermione almost as much as he did Ron. Two, because he couldn't think of two people he'd like to see happy more, than Ron and Hermione.

This would be the first time Harry had met Ron's date. Ron had been uncharacteristically secretive about her. Usually Ron told Harry everything about his dates- far more, often, than he really wanted to know - but this time all Harry knew was that Ron had been on three dates with her and that she wasn't one of their mutual friends. Getting that much information out of him had been like pulling teeth.

The secrecy worried him. Was it a sign that Ron was serious about this girl? Watching Ron date a series of women was bad enough. Harry didn't want to see Ron going out with someone long term. He didn't care how selfish that was, just the thought of it caused a painful tug in his chest.

Harry heard the familiar pop of someone disapparating and looked over. It was Ron arriving with someone. But it couldn't be his date because he was with a bloke. Someone slightly taller than Ron, with curly dark hair. They turned towards the house and Harry realised it was Ben, one of the shop assistants from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Harry vaguely remembered him from the last time he had been in the shop. A charismatic young man with an easy smile and lots of tattoos. Harry breathed a sigh of relief at his reprieve from meeting Ron's latest girlfriend but had the breath stolen from his lungs as Ben pulled Ron back and kissed him.

Ben pulled Ron in close, one hand at the small of his back the other on Ron's arm. Ron's head tilted slightly to the left and the hand Ben had on Ron's arm wandered down to cup the top curve of Ron's arse, the tips of his fingers disappearing inside the back pocket of Ron's jeans. Harry couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

Ron wasn't- Ron didn't-

Finally Harry took a gasping breath and turned to go inside. He needed a drink.

* * * * *

The next two hours were a nightmare. Harry proceeded to get drunk very quickly and spent his time avoiding Ron and Ben and whilst simultaneously trying to watch their every move.

Harry supposed he was lucky that everyone seemed to want to talk to Ron and his date. Aunt Muriel didn't seem to have picked up on the fact that they were together but everyone else soon recovered from their surprise and welcomed Ben.

Harry snatched up another full glass of mulled wine from the self refilling tray and took a large swig. Across the room Ben told some joke or other and everyone laughed. Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He downed his glass, picked up another one and slipped upstairs.

It wasn't like anyone would notice he was gone.  
Harry sat on Ron's old bed staring into his drink. Everything was ruined now. Pointless. Hopeless.

It wasn't that Ron didn't like men. It was that Ron didn't like him.

He took a shuddering breath, his eyes prickling and hot.

"Harry?"

It was Ron, but Harry didn't look up. Couldn't look up. He was worried that if he looked up now Ron would see everything. See it all written on Harry's face. From the tone of Ron's voice he was wearing that concerned look he had where he got a little wrinkled furrow between his brows. Harry put his drink down on the floor, took a deep breath and stood up, avoiding Ron's eyes. His head swam and he sat unsteadily back down, seeing two Ron's and two doorways for a moment. Ron took the two strides over to him, crouching in front of him and looking up into Harry's face with concern.

"You are pissed, mate."

Harry smiled sadly. "I am. Yes. Drunk. Very drunk. Not working though."

"What isn't?"

"Supposed to make me not care," Harry said, putting one hand unsteadily on Ron's face.

"Not care about what?" Ron asked, not moving Harry's hand away.

"Stuff."

"Must be bad, this stuff. To get to you like this," Ron said.

Ron was so close, Harry could see the golden sparkles that surrounded his pupils, could see the freckles that crowded close on the bridge of his nose.

"I just-" Harry closed his eyes. "I just want something I shouldn't."

Ron cleared his throat and Harry felt the slight movement in Ron's face and smiled sadly.

"You know you can tell me anything, Harry?" Ron said.

Harry opened his eyes, Ron licked his lips, and Harry couldn't help himself, he closed the small gap between them and kissed him. Ron's lips were soft and inviting and Harry was just leaning further forwards when Ron broke away.

"I came here with Ben," Ron said in a rush. Ron was holding onto the hand that Harry had placed on Ron's cheek, his long fingers covering Harry's, his thumb tucking itself underneath Harry's very hand slightly. "I came here with Ben."

Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Oh, why had he come to this fucking party?

"Everything's ruined. Fuck, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Harry whispered hoarsely, hating himself for the way his eyes spilled over with hot bitter tears. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I know I shouldn't have. I tried not to- not to-"

Ron kissed him softly and Harry fell silent. "Shh, Harry. God, don't fucking apologise." Ron kissed him again and Harry gasped on a sob that wanted to come bubbling up out of his throat.

"I fucking knew it," said a voice from just outside the room.

Harry looked towards the doorway, and of course, it was Ben. Ron broke away from Harry and stood up, letting go of Harry's hand and standing in front of him, between Harry and Ben.

"I fucking knew it," Ben repeated. "I fucking knew I should have trusted my instincts when you said you two were just friends."

"I'm sorry," Ron said. "But I wasn't lying to you. It's just-"

"Bullshit," Ben said. Ron fell silent and Ben stabbed one accusatory finger towards Ron. "Bullshit." With that Ben turned and apparated away with a small pop.

"Fuck," Ron said, running a hand through his hair and staring at the empty doorway.

"Aren't you going to follow him?" Harry asked, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. Because apparently he was unable to avoid torturing himself this evening.

Ron turned and looked down.

"I know I should. I know I should go and apologize and try to explain."

"Don't," Harry blurted out, standing up and grabbing one of Ron's hands. "Don't go."

Ron entwined his fingers with Harry's and took a step closer.

"Don't go," Harry repeated, seemingly unable to stop himself. "I know I'm a selfish fucker. But please don't go."

Ron put his hand up to Harry's head, his fingers tangling themselves in Harry's messy locks and took a deep breath. Harry found himself bracing for what Ron would say next.

"I know we should talk," Ron said, leaning in so close that Harry thought Ron was going to kiss him. "About our feelings, and what happens next, and all that crap."

Harry's heart clenched at those words and he squeezed Ron's hand, getting an answering squeeze back.

"But is it okay if I just kiss you now, and we do the talking later?"

Harry smiled despite himself.

"I think I can live with that."

The End.


End file.
